eCampusOntario’s Open Library launches Enhanced User Experience

New search widget, more item details, and more!

It’s been a busy year for the eCampusOntario Open Library! We have been hard at work developing a better user experience with the Open Library site and catalogue interface. From a new logo, and webpage design, to displaying more metadata details about a resource, searching for resources in the Open Library is now easier than ever, with more options to help you get the most relevant search results. And even better, use our new embed widgets to bring those search results to exactly where you need them the most!

What’s new

More Details About Resources Available

Thanks to the OER Discovery and Metadata Application profile projects we have been working on for the past year, we can now collect and display relevant information about a resource. This is all to help you find and select the most applicable OER for your teaching and learning needs and improve your user experience with the Open Library tools.

Some of these details include display labels for resources that have been adopted and have an accessibility statement. The Details panel has metadata fields such as when the resource was added and last updated, table of contents, and linked tagging allowing you to find similar resources by authors, subjects, and learning resource type. A preview of the resources, such as videos for simulations, courses, XR/VR, is available when applicable, and much more. Find a resource in the Open Library Catalogue and check it out for yourself!   

More Search Filters

The Open Library Catalogue has new search filters and facets to help you refine your search to retrieve the most relevant results based on the criteria you’ve selected. Use the License filter to show only resources with the exact permissions you need. Or maybe you are working with a specific Learning Management System or platform and only certain resource types and media formats will do. Or maybe, you want only resources that have been previously adopted by another educator. Whatever your teaching or learning goals, use the new filter options to help you find out if the Open Library has the right resources for you!

Embed The Open Library Search Bar and Search Results

Similar to our OER Cost Savings Calculator widget, we now have three additional widgets you can add to your site to highlight specific resources and increase engagement for your teaching and learning needs. Curate your own list of OER or resources with a specific license type and share easily on other websites with our Search Results widget. Allow learners and others to search and access the Open Library resources from your website or Learning Management System with the Search Bar widget. Or highlight a specific resource using the embed feature on any of the Item Details page. The Open Library widgets can be integrated into any web pages where the iframe tag is supported. 

New Submission Form

Part of creating new filters to help you find the exact OER or educational resources you need means that we must collect more information about a resource. The new Open Library Submission form asks for all the metadata fields we need to catalogue and make resources discoverable. The more information we collect about a resource, the better we can refine search results and search facets. The Submission Form is also accompanied by an OER Submission Guide to help you prepare your content for inclusion to the Open Library Catalogue.  

Serving French Resources

As we continue to grow our French resources, we’ve made some improvements to better display these French resources. All metadata in the French Item Details page are translated and captured in French to provide a completely French interface experience for French resources.

New eCampusOntario Account

Soon, you’ll be able to register for an account to access Ontario Commons Licensed resources and create and save your own list of resources. The eCampusOntario accounts are available to anyone currently affiliated with an eCampusOntario member institution.

Share your thoughts!

Have you used our new catalogue to find a resource? Or generated a search result list? Or embedded one of our widgets elsewhere? Be sure to tell us about your experience and help us continue to improve our site and services: Open Library Feedback